Fracturing Facade
---- It was a quiet afternoon for Amber, the small radio on her table playing a soft, yet bright tune. She couldn't help the slight bounce in her step as she moved about her home, tidying up her furniture and dusting off the small knick-knacks she has collected over the years. She was rearranging her shelf of pictures when her stomach gurgled. She paused, moving to her kitchen to search her pantries. As she hadn't gone grocery shopping in some time, the only thing inside were boxes of cereal and chips. Her fridge was equally barren, a half-empty carton of milk and a few stalks of celery occupying its space. With a heavy sigh, she almost resigned to a sad lunch. A light bulb seemed to go off and she smiles, walking back into her living room to pick up her cell phone. She quickly dialed Wren’s number, waiting for her to pick up. “Hello?” answered her friend and her smile widened even more. “Hey Wren, I was just wondering—if you aren't busy, of course—do you wanna go out for lunch? There's a really nice pizza parlor I've been wanting to go to but I haven't had the chance yet.” “Yeah, that's okay with me,” she said and Amber gave her the address before hanging up. She quickly threw on a pair of capris and a thin-striped t-shirt, grabbing her keys and wallet before leaving her apartment. The restaurant was quaint and Amber sat outside at a cafe table. Flowers hung from hanging planters and vines grew up the coiled metal fence that divided Lorenzo's from the street. Amber didn't worry as she waited, Wren's apartment was fairly far away and she recalled her perfectionism regarding her appearance. Not soon after, Wren arrived with a light smile and a friendly wave. She was wearing light washed overalls, with a white henley shirt and strappy nude sandals. Her long hair was pulled up into a rather large and effortless bun while dark round sunglasses shaded her eyes. "Hey!" She greeted, "How've you been Ambs?" Amber beamed when she saw her friend. "I've been good, you?" She quickly stood to give her a brief, yet tight hug. The pair took their seats, the midafternoon sun paling in comparison to the warmth they felt when they were together. The waiter arrived shortly thereafter, taking their requests for a lemon-lime soda and root beer before disappearing into the restaurant again. "Here and there, busy as usual y'know?" Wren's demeanor was cheerful and she purposely declined to mention the sharp pain of a broken rib and the fading black eye underneath her sunglasses. Amber nodded along, wondering what kept her busy during her working hours. She decides to forget it, for now, not wanting to spoil the smile so easily lifting Wren's lips today. "Did you see the Holy Knight takedown earlier this week? Sariel took on somebody twice her size and didn't even flinch! I felt really bad when she took a hit to the chest, it looked like it hurt a lot. She kept fighting though, which must've been really hard." She is more than excited about the going-ons of the Rune Knight's strongest regiment, deeply admiring how powerful and noble they all were. Their namesakes alone, modeled after righteous beings of divine light, spoke enough of their character and attitudes. Wren's eyebrows shot up at the remark, while her lips curved into a small circle. "Oh, I didn't see it on the news but I heard about it. She must still be feeling that one." Amber nodded, "I remember one time when we were training, Amanda hit me so hard with a practice staff she left a bruise on my hip for two weeks! I can only imagine how hard Sariel got hit by a real threat." "Carnage is not as grand as the academy makes you think." Wren mused. Amber hesitated for a moment, wondering what Wren might mean by that. "I-I know," she says softly, "I have some experience out in the field. It definitely isn't as easy as training was, but you already know that." "Yeah..." Wren's head tilted up a bit, "I'm sorry, my brain is a bit mushy right now that was a real buzzkill of a thing to say." Amber smiled, a little forced at first, though it becomes more genuine after a moment. "It's okay. How is Skaoi?" she asked, hoping to lead the conversation to easier topics. "She's okay, I think." Wren dipped her head to take a sip of her sofa and inhaled in shock as a sharp jab of pain burst through her chest. Amber quirked an eyebrow at her lackluster response, her expression shifting to that of worry when she gasped. "Wren, are you okay?" she asks. She could have sustained another injury during a job that she hadn't told her about yet, or be dealing with some sort of illness. She almost jumped out of her seat to begin searching for wounds but withheld, not wanting to stress her out. "Yeah, I'm good." The truth was the opposite. Every movement, every breath, every word sent sharp lightning bolts of pain ricocheting through her chest. The painkillers she had taken were only barely doing their job and Wren had spent the last two days since the fight in her apartment trying to stay as still as possible. Amber saw through her. Her speech was much too forced, purposeful, for the relaxed afternoon they were supposed to be having. "Please don't lie to me. We can get the pizza to go and I can try and heal you," she says. Big, blue eyes shine with desperation, though determination glimmered beneath. She wanted her to accept the help more than anything, but she was going to help her friend one way or another. Wren shook her head lightly, "It's not serious, I swear, let's just enjoy lunch." She persuaded. After Amber's expression didn't change she added a heavy "Please." "No, Wren, it is, I can—I can tell, just..." She bit her lip and cast her eyes to the side. The weather had shifted slightly, the sun blotted out by cotton ball clouds. Her gaze shot back to Wren as she found her resolve once again. "Why don't you take your sunglasses off?" She asked, gesturing vaguely to Wren's face. "You'll wanna be able to see the pizza when they bring it, from advertisements, it looks like art." Wren blinked behind the shades, her mouth stuck open for a moment. "Uh, sure." She flicked them off her face, folding them and setting them down. An audible gasp from a woman from a nearby table and the soft "Gods" of her companion rang in Wren's sensitive ears. She couldn't blame them. Her left eye was forced shut, black and purple, the outskirts shifting into a sickly yellow-green. Amber's eyes widened at the sight of the dark bruise. "That must hurt so much. Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Frustration bubbled and pooled in the corners of her eyes. She stubbornly blinked it away and focused on her friend. "Let me help you. Please." "Can we just eat lunch? It's seriously okay. I have wo—" She protested before cutting herself off. Wren sighed, anxiety coiling in her stomach like a snake. She didn't want to have the conversation that would probably follow today. "I have worse." She admitted, quieter.